38. Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-eight
Libby
“Did you see how tiny he is?” I can’t get over how adorable baby Benjamin is. I don’t know how I managed to wait a week before getting to see him.
It just lights a fire in me wanting my own.
Blue traces my bare leg that’s draped over his hip and thigh. His feathery touch raises goosebumps in his path.
“Are they always that small?” The vibration in his chest rumbles against my ear.
“They grow fast. Paisley went from newborn to sassy toddler overnight.” And I love her more every day.
He flattens his palm, letting it rest just below the swell of my ass. “I’d be afraid to hold him. I might break him.”
I turn my chin onto his chest so I can see him. “It’s because you want him to be safe. That’s why you won’t hurt him.” My vision gets blurry as tears well in my eyes. Reaching up, I stroke the whiskers on his jaw gently. “You’re going to be an amazing daddy someday.”
He reaches between my legs, cupping my the mound of my pussy.
“You keep letting me fill you up, it won’t take very long at all,” he growls.
Then his touch shifts to my lower belly.
“I can’t wait to see you swell.” His fingers rise to brush my nipple.
“And fill with milk.” His groan rekindles the ember burning in my loins.
“I’ll be a dairy cow,” I laugh as he tips me back. His burning mouth circles the beaded bud before he sucks it between his teeth.
“Mmhmm. I’ll claim one, Junior can have the other.” He draws on my breast, the vacuum of his tongue tugging on an invisible thread that tingles deep inside me.
“What if we have twins?” I giggle. It almost hurts, but feels so good at the same time.
He pulls the suction away, raising his eyes to the ceiling in a comic pose of ponder. “Well, we do have a few thousand gallons a day extra. They can rotate on your other, this one is mine.” With a ravenous snarl, he drops back to my sensitive nipple.
A knock on the trailer interrupts my shrieks.
“Libby? We got a problem.” Devon’s voice carries easily through the thin walls.
Blue raises his head, making the briefest of eye contact before he rolls away.
He quickly pulls on a pair of jeans as I reach for my sweats.
“Is anyone hurt?” Blue calls through.
“No, but a few of the cows are down.” Devon steps back when we burst outside.
“I know we’re trying to keep track, so I was counting carefully.
There’s six still in the barn panting heavy.
I don’t think they were like that yesterday when I was topping off their bedding. ” He chews on the inside of his cheek.
I half run towards the barn, my stomach churning.
Oh shit.
Millie is one of them!
Dashing to her side, I wrap my arms around her neck.
Her eyes are glazed as she heaves shuddering inhales.
“Lib—” Blue’s voice is stern. “Glove up, you don’t know what’s going on.”
Fuck.
Reluctantly, I pull away.
Her big head drops to the sawdust.
I walk around all my girls, seeing if I can spot anything like trauma, or blood.
But I don’t see anything except the occasional straining action.
“We need to get the vet out here. They’re all acting like they’re in labor. But they can’t be. Millie isn’t due for three months. The rest of these are all close to hers.” I keep track when they’re bred so they can be put in their own stalls.
What is going on?
It’s too soon.
“This might be what happened to some of Mason’s last year,” Blue grumbles while pulling out his phone.
That makes me back away quickly .
“Blue,” I exhale. “If this is Lute, it could affect me too if I’m pregnant.” The weight of it crushes me into the concrete.
“You’re pregnant?” Devon’s mouth drops.
“No, well, not yet. Well—” I haven’t had my period.
It’s been over a month since we were married.
“—there’s a chance.”
Devon throws up his arms and covers his ears. “Lalalala! I don’t want to think about it! I’m heading back to the milk parlor to start on the rest.” He swivels on his heel and heads down the causeway.
Blue’s lopsided smile shows off his dimple. “More like a million chances,” he snorts as he gets off the call. “Vet’ll be here in about an hour. What can we do in the meantime?”
“I’m gonna jump on the tractor and bring in some more sawdust. If they’re calving, they’ll need to be comfortable. Can you pull those loose panels against the wall and partition them off?” I point to the extra fencing we keep stacked on the side.
“Yes, ma’am.” He doesn’t hesitate, but after about four long strides he stops.
“Lib?” He turns.
“Yea, babe?” I’m already halfway down the corridor.
“Do you think you are?” His voice carries a hopeful lilt.
“Why…are you thirsty?” I cup my breasts through my shirt before stepping out into the early morning sun .
“Always, rebel.” He grabs the first panel, the rest of his words lost as I fire up the old diesel John Deere.
My heart races, pounding in my ears.
Both at the thought of what could be, and with worry about my herd.
I remember that someone did this to Mason’s cows. He said he ended up losing a few just from the hemorrhaging.
And they never found out who did it.
The assumption was that those two guys who hurt April did it.
But there isn’t any proof.
It makes my stomach roll thinking that there’s someone else out there actively poisoning animals.
Fuck. We’ll need to batch test the milk too.
After I dump the first load, I text Devon to let him know he’s going to need to hold the milk, just in case there’s some kind of contaminant and we’ll have to purge it.
Damn it. Only Dr. Ray will be able to clear it.
I’m just finishing the last round when I see her walk in. Her dark hair is up in a bun, two big bags in her hands.
“Hey, doc. Thanks for coming so quickly.” I lean against the newly assembled gate.
She tugs on a pair of gloves, then pushes her glasses up with the back of her wrist. “No problem. Is it just these girls?”
Blue nods. “I went through the others as Devon was prepping them. These are the only ones acting off.” His lips purse. “We’re worried it was like what happened to Mason’s last year.”
Her dark eyes shift to me. “If that’s the case, if you’re pregnant, or planning to be any time soon, you shouldn’t touch them.”
Blue’s arm moves around my hips and he leans close enough his mouth brushes my ear. “Better safe than sorry, baby.”
“It’s hard seeing this.” I take a deep breath and lean into his embrace.
She does a fast assessment, then stands. “I’ll need to test their water. Did they get into any pine needles? That can cause this too.”
“We keep the pastures clear, but I’ll check.” It won’t take super long on the tractor to see if a tree fell across the fence line somewhere.
I jump back into the seat. “I’ll be right back.”
Cruising down the north line, I veer around the wet area from the creek overflow. Late spring always makes a standing pond there until usually close to July.
But what the hell is that?
Muddy tire tracks cut through the outside edge. It almost looks like whoever was driving through almost got stuck.
Panic laces my breathing as I flip the steering wheel, bee lining back to my husband .
“Blue, someone drove in past the creek!” I exclaim, hopping off the step.
“Fuck. I’ll call Wade.” His jaw clenches as he digs out his phone again.
Someone did this.
And I don’t know who.